A Personal Interest: Book IV
by Pari
Summary: More from the day and life of Ex-CIA Agent John Reese and NYC Homicide Detective Jocelyn Carter. Please read the previous books so you're not lost. I think I will try to add more of a numbers story into this book. I hope you enjoy.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: I wanted to take a moment to thank you guys for reading and reviewing the previous 3 books of this story. As you may have noticed I'm a Creese fan, and I realize that there may not be a big fanbase for them (yet) but I appreciate that ppl have been so receptive of my story here. In this book we find the two several months from where we left them in Book III, I did this to move the story along more quickly. I am sorry if this is disappointing to some and I may just do a couple of one-shot ficlets to explore the missing months in between book 3 and 4. So here is the starter for Book IV, I hope you really enjoy and feel free to review :) ~ Pari  
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**He had finally decided, after nearly an hour and a half of contemplation that he had never seen a more beautiful sight than the one that was currently laid out before him, in his bed. He had gotten up just two hours before after having awakened from a very bad nightmare. So now he stood in just his briefs in the kitchen, where he leaned against the counter-top, drinking coffee. He hadn't really taken his eyes off of the sleeping woman occupying his bed. He relished these night when she was free to stay with him, because he felt uninhibited in his voyeurism. So he freely let his eyes roamed over her body, as his mind's eye photographed every inch of her cinnamon colored skin. Sometimes he'd begin at the top of her head which was crowned with thick curls that hid her face slightly from his view. Other times he'd begin at her feet where he counted each of her toes that were painted a light pink color. In the end his eyes would always linger the longest at her swollen midsection, where lay their child. 'Their child' the idea of that still left him awestruck, and the reality would at time take his breath away as it did in this moment.**

**"Hmmm," She sighed aloud as she slowly rolled from her side onto her back, which was a task that wasn't as easy as it had been five months ago when she was barely showing. He let his eyes briefly dart to the clock on the wall and a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. 'Right on time' he thought as he focused back on his sleeping beauty who was rousing from her sleep. She rose up from her prone position and then sat for a full two minutes before she turned and casted her feet over the side of the bed. He sat patiently and quietly and he made no move to attempt to assist her. He had learned that in her hormonal state her mind would usually twisted his offer to help her into meaning he thought she was fat. She finally thrust her belly up, pushed herself fully from the bed, and then waddled to where he was in the kitchen. She made her way to the refrigerator and passed him without saying a word and he continued the sip his coffee. After a few seconds scanning its contents she slammed the door of the refrigerator shut with a growl. She moved up alongside the tall bare chested man before her and dropped her forehead against his broad, muscular back.**

**"Baby's hungry but I don't know what she wants," Carter grumbled out as she lifted her head and he turned in time to catch the pretty pout that graced her lips. With a chuckle John slid the open jar of green olives and small bowl of Skittles candy over to her and brought a bright smile to her face. "Yes, something sweet and something sour. Thank you baby," she cooed out as she reached for her snack. Reese shifted his position and turned to rest his backside against the counter which allotted him a better view of Carter, who happily popped olives and then Skittles into her mouth. John smile lovingly at the women beside him, whom he had come to love more than he thought himself capable of loving anyone. He held his coffee cup to his lip with his right hand and reached out and cupped the taut swell of Carter's belly as it peeked out from the half buttoned up dress shirt she had taken from him earlier. "Just six more weeks," She tossed out and John silently corrected, 'five weeks and three days' to be more exact.**

**"You nervous Joss?" He asked teasingly and Carter shook her head.**

**"No, I have done this before." She said around and coy smile. "How about you, are you nervous John?"**

**"No," He lied and again causally took a sip of coffee. She narrowed her eyes and stared up at him suspiciously with a smile still fixed on her face.**

**"Really, so you're ready for the wee hour feedings…"**

**"I think you're better equipped for that," Reese interjected as he let his eyes momentarily drift down to her breast, which were already doubled in size.**

**"Oh I'll be pumping milk, just for you daddy." She educated him and he simply smiled, shrugged, and replied.**

**"I'm a night owl so I'll most likely be up anyway."**

**"And the diaper changes, you're good with that too?" She continued her questioning.**

**"Can't be any worse than changing field dressings," He answered coolly.**

**"May smell worse," Carter said with a chuckle as she popped the last of the olives into her mouth. She then closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh. Reese began to rub the hand that stilled rest on Carter's belly in a circular motion.**

**"Are my ladies satisfied?" He asked as he smirked down at her.**

**"Well, Vivian is satisfied," Carter responded as she reached up her right hand and pulled the coffee cup from Reese's hand and then with her other hand grasped his hand that cupped her belly. "But I'm still very, very hungry." The words rolled off her tongue and her tone along with the heated look she was giving him, made his cock harden instantly.**

**"Don't you mean 'horny'?" He asked with a chuckle as he allowed her to pull him back towards the kings sized bed.**

**"Po-tay-to, po-tat-to," She sing-songed as she pulled him along.**


	2. Chapter 2

**As soon as she entered Lyric's diner the waitress behind the counter started making her usual, eggs sunny side up, waffles with strawberry topping and whipped cream, some bacon and a small bowl of olives.**

**"It'll be ready in a moment Joss," The waitress called out as Carter passed the counter and Carter threw back a nod and a smile. Carter continued on to the booth where she could see her 'date' was already seated. When she finally reached the booth and maneuvered into her seat, the man across from her sat silently with a wide smile across his face.**

**"Good Morning Detective, you are…"**

**"Before you finish that statement I should warn you that I'm a little sensitive about my weight right now, oh and I'm also packing." She threw out the false threat.**

**"I was simply going to say that you are positively glowing and quite beautiful carrying your child." Finch stated and Carter smiled and preened a bit by smoothing down her hair.**

**"Thank you Mr. Finch." She said. "So, what can I do for you?"**

**"First I need you to promise me that you will not mention this meeting or anything we discuss here with our Mr. Reese." Finch began and Carter frowned up at the suggestion. It was official she and John were in a relationship, and she believed that that meant they wouldn't keep secrets from each other or lie to one another. At seeing the unsure look on her face Finch continued. "Look Detective I only need some intel on a Mr. Manuel Ruiz, his name has come up in relations to our latest number. I would have asked Det. Fusco but John already has him overloaded with work, because he doesn't wish to get you involved in any of our cases right now." This made Carter frown back up again.**

**"Wait, so John told you not to ask for my help on any of your cases? Son-of-a…and here I was thinking that things were just quiet for you guys. I guess I'm not surprised after the argument we had this morning, and no I don't want to talk about it." Carter threw out when she saw the inquisitive gleam in Finch's eyes.**

**"Things are never quiet Detective the machine never sleeps, therefore there are always numbers. But now you see my dilemma and why it is imperative that Mr. Reese doesn't know I have enlisted your help. It's just simple information gathering which is what I told Mr. Reese when I suggested enlisting your help, but he was adamant and quite scary when he told me that I was not to involve you in any way, shape, or form while you were in such a delicate condition." Finch said as he let his eyes fall briefly to Carter's very swollen belly.**

**"Fine, this will be our dirty little secret." Carter huffed out just as her food arrived. "Thanks Sal." The waitress gave a smile and a nod to Carter and then focused on Finch.**

**"You sure I can't get you anything?" Sally asked.**

**"No thank you." Finch replied and Sally walked off to attend to another patron. "Here's all that I could pull up on Mr. Ruiz," Finch slid the folder across to Carter and she grabbed it up and opened it to read through its content.**

**"All right, I'll see what I can dig up and I'll call you." She said as she picked up a piece of the bacon and bit into it.**

**"Thank You Det. Carter," Finch replied as he began to slide from the booth.**

**"You know you don't have to be so formal with me, you can just call me Joss," She offered and Finch paused in his exit as he focused on the pregnant woman before him.**

**"All right, Joss and you may call me Harold. Thank you again for helping me with this and for keeping it from Mr. Reese." With that said Finch stood and exited the diner and left Carter to finish her meal.**

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**Sometime Later**

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**Finch had been quite surprised to see Reese back at headquarters considering that he was supposed to be out keeping surveillance on their latest number. Finch noticed that Reese was staring intensely at one of the several monitors that aligned his work station.**

**"Mr. Reese was there something that I could help you with?" Finch asked and in reply Reese scowled and grumbled out a 'no'. Finch knew then that Reese was watching the screen that monitored Carter's desk, and he also knew that Reese was most likely concerned over the fact that Carter's desk was empty. "She might be in the bathroom." Finch tossed out even though he knew exactly where she was.**

**"She left over an hour ago and she left 'our' cell in her desk, which I know she did on purpose so I couldn't track her on it." Reese tossed out as he leaned back in his chair and traced his thumb across his bottom lip nervously as he glared at the screen. Finch felt a slight pang of guilt because he had told Carter not to bring the cell they had given her for fear of Reese tracking her and finding them together.**

**"Well maybe her partner might know where she is," Finch added and again he was privy to the fact that Reese had Fusco out running an errand which was the reason he had called Carter when he did.**

**"No, Fusco is out."**

**"Oh well I'm sure Det. Carter is fine, she is after all a police officer." Finch stated.**

**"We had a fight earlier and I'm afraid she'll do something dangerous just to spite me."**

**"Mr. Reese I don't know Carter as well as you do, but she doesn't strike me as the spiteful type. May I inquire as to what your fight was about?" Finch asked but was sure he already knew the answer.**

**"I told her that I think her place right now is at home getting ready for the baby and not working."**

**"Please tell me you didn't use those exact words," The look on Reese's face told Finch that he had. "Mr. Reese the last thing you should ever tell a woman is that she has a certain 'place' that she's supposed to be, especially if that place is at home barefoot and pregnant."**

**"I'm not trying to obliterate the women's rights movement Finch, I just want to make sure 'my' woman is safe. But Jos took my concern and turned it around to make me seem like I'm some chauvinistic sexist."**

**"Well she's in a highly emotional state right now, so you should be a bit more sensitive to that."**

**"How do you suppose I do that Finch?" Reese asked as he looked from the screen to where Finch stood. The look on Reese's face told Finch the Reese was genuinely seeking his advice.**

**"For starter never use the words 'you' in any sentence where it precedes the words 'can't' or 'don't', and support whatever it is that she wants to do, even if you don't agree with it." Finch replied.**

**"Ok, I can try to do that for the few weeks until the baby is born." Reese said and Finch gave him a confused looked.**

**"Mr. Reese that isn't just advice to use on Det. Carter while she's pregnant, that advice you use for all women, all the time." Suddenly Finch's phone rang and ended their man to man. Finch's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the name on his caller ID. "Uhm, excuse me for a moment Mr. Reese this is some personal business I need to attend to." Finch then turned and limped a ways from where Reese was seated, far enough that he was sure he'd be out of ear shot. "Det. Carter," He answered in a hushed tone as he connected the call.**

**"Joss, remember Harold?" She responded.**

**"Of course, was there something I can help you with?"**

**"Why are you whispering?" Carter questioned curiously. "Wait…is John there?" She asked as she began mimicking Finch hushed tone as if she were within ear shot of Reese.**

**"Yes but he's busy right now," Finch turned a bit to see that Reese was still seated staring at the monitors.**

**"Oh ok, well I wanted you to know that I called in some favors and got some info on your guy Ruiz. He's a real dirty dude with ties to a couple of gangs here on the east coast and some on the west. He also has been linked to the mob. I was able to find out that he has some vacant properties all over downtown, very expensive properties that he could never afford. So, I figure their fronts for some illegal activities. I'm checking out one of the buildings he owns down by the docks, it's close to a water source and the ideal location for trafficking."**

**"Wait…did you just say you were down at the docks. Det…Joss you were only supposed to get me some info on Mr. Ruiz nothing more."**

**"Yeah well when I find suspicion of illegal activity, as an officer of the law I am duty bound to investigate. I'm a cop remember that is why you and John came to me for help in the first place."**

**"Yes, and under normal circumstances I wouldn't argue that point but right now you're about to give birth to a child, and said child's father is going to kill me if he finds out that you're out chasing some bad guy that I asked you to look into." Finch stated as his whispered tone took on a high pitch that caught Reese attention.**

**"Well I'm not going to tell him so you'll be fine so long as you keep your mouth shut. Besides this place looks dead right now so I'm heading back to the precinct and I'll have a couple of patrol cars check it out later. If there's any activity happening here it'll probably be at night anyway." Carter said and she moved back to her car.**

**"I never should have gotten you involved in any of this, so please just get back to the precinct and forget about Mr. Ruiz."**

**"You're beginning to sound like John, you know that?" Carter announced around a chuckle as she rolled her eyes and got into her car.**

**"Is something wrong Finch?" Reese called out as he stood up from his seat and threw a curious gaze at the smaller man who stood huddled near the corner bookcases. Finch turned wide eyes to Reese as he still held his cell to his ear.**

**"Don't you dare tell John anything Harold," Carter spoke out having heard John's question. "I'm leaving the docks now so no harm, no foul. I'll type up what I found on Ruiz when I get back to the Precinct and I'm sure you can just hack my computer to get it. Bye." Carter disconnected the call and then drove off. She never noticed the man who stood hidden in a doorway of one of the buildings watching her. He quickly jotted down her license plate and then made a call.**

**"No," Finch finally replied to John's question as he pulled the call from his ear and pocketed it, and then moved back to his work station. "As I said just some personal business nothing you need to worry about."**

**"Fine," John said as he moved past Finch and to the exit. "I'll head back out, our new number will be getting off work in about an hour, gives me time to make a quick stop before I pick up surveillance again."**

**"I'm sure she and the baby are both fine Mr. Reese," Finch called out to Reese who had already disappeared through the exit. "For my sake they had better be." He added as he began to nervously take up the position of watching Carter's vacant desk on the monitors.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thank you all for taking the time to read this and kind reviews. This chapter took me all of an hour to write, which has me concerned that its not good. The ideas and words just poured from my head and I hope I was able to capture the emotions and really do the scene justice. I suppose you all will decided that. Hope you enjoy. I think I will have have one more chapter to end this book.  
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**The young man had sprinted from the other side of the facility occasionally tripping or bumping into someone, but none of those obstacles deterred him, and by the time he reached his destination he was nearly out of breath.**

**"Mr. Elias," The man gasped out as he clutched at the bars of the open prison cell door. Two muscular men stepped up and blocked the younger man's entrance. The older bald man who was seated eating a lobster and steak dinner casually regarded the man a moment and then noticed the cellphone he held out. The bald man waved at the man and the guard stepped aside to let him through. The young man entered the cell with his head bowed, purposely averting his eyes as so not to stare directly at the man before him, a man to his knowledge ran the entire prison. Elias smiled at the bowed head before him as he grasped the cellphone held out to him.**

**"Yes," Elias spoke into the phone. He listened silently to the other voice on the line who told him about a black female cop named Carter, who came snooping around the docks. "I'm intimately familiar with Det. Carter. She's one of my loose ends and you know how I feel about loose ends. I trust that you'll take care of it and make sure that it doesn't come back to me. Oh and Jimmy you better get all your guys in on this. That's right all of them trust me you'll need them because Det. Carter has a guardian angel looking out for her and he's a hard s-o-b to get rid of. Call me when it's done." Elias ended the call, handed the phone back to the young man who still stood before him with his head bowed. After the man left his cell, Elias took a sip of red wine and then resumed eating his meal.**

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**Later at Carter's Brownstone**

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**The cellphone rang again and Carter lifted it and saw 'unknown' on the id screen to which she rolled her eyes, tossed the phone back onto the countertop, and then continued chopping up the tomatoes and cucumbers for the salad she was making. The teenager who sat on the stool on the opposite side of the counter eyed her as he snatched up a cucumber and popped it into his mouth.**

**"Are you going to stay mad at John forever?" The teenager asked as he then plucked up a tomato slice and devoured it.**

**"What have I told you about staying out of grown folks business Taylor, and quit stealing the veggies." Carter said as she swatted his outstretched hand away from the plate with the tomatoes and cucumbers on it.**

**"Mom, John is kind of like my surrogate dad, so it is kind of my business too." Taylor said as he eyed his mother as he gauged her reaction and hoped that his words wouldn't upset her. Carter stopped chopping up the vegetables and stared at her son.**

**"You really think of him like that?" She asked her son.**

**"Well…yeah, I mean he's kind of taken on the role. He hangs out with me, he teaches me self-defense, we talk about gir…stuff, and I know that if I ever need him for anything he'll be there for me. I'm not planning on calling him 'daddy' or anything but I do hold him in the same regard as I do 'dad'. That's ok, right?" Taylor asked and again he watched his mother's reaction closely.**

**"Yeah that's ok if you feel comfortable with that. John's a good man and I know that he thinks of you, of us," She let her hand settled upon the swell of her belly as she spoke. "As his family now, he loves us and he'll protect us and always be here for us."**

**"So he loves you and you love him….right?" Taylor asked and Carter smirked and arched a brow in reply. "I know, I know…grown folks business, I'm just saying whatever he did to make you mad he did it out of love, so talk to him, and tell him you forgive him so he doesn't stay away." Carter thought on her son's words she knew that he was right John had only argued his point about her staying home out of his love and concern for her and their unborn child. She also knew that Taylor was right about John staying away and that he'd feel dejected until she told him she forgave him. Then another thought occurred to her and she threw suspicious eyes onto her son.**

**"Wait, its Friday which means an all-night marathon on Call of Duty 4, right?"**

**"I'm sooo close to beating his high score." Taylor groaned out and he pinched his pointer finger and thumb close together to emphasize his point, just as the cell began to ring again. This time Carter snatched it up and answered it.**

**"What," She spoke harshly determined to at least sound mad even though her talk with Taylor had melted her resolve a bit.**

**"How's my pack?" Reese spoke gently into the phone as a smile spread across his lips at hearing the attitude that laced Carter's voice. He knew she was still mad but the fact that she answered the phone told him that she had cooled down some.**

**"All three present and accounted for," She replied.**

**"Hey John," Taylor called out as he once again reached over and grabbed a cucumber and Carter threw him a warning look.**

**"Tell Taylor to get ready for another spanking in Call of Duty 4 when I get home," Reese tossed out to test the waters to whether she would accept or reject his company tonight.**

**"Oh he's already planning his comeback," She replied with a smile and Reese inwardly sighed in relief. "Dinner should be ready in about 30 minutes you think you'll make it in time?"**

**"I'll be there in 2, I'm just about the pass the bodega on the corner you want me to pick up anything?"**

**"Yeah, we need more milk, and…" Carter turned and opened the fridge to see if there was anything else. Just as she bent down a bit to get a better look the sound of breaking glass could be heard a millisecond before the bullet struck the cabinet right behind where she had just been standing. "Taylor, get down!" Carter yelled as she dropped the cell and ducked down, she instinctively reached for her waist where her gun was usually holstered and then remembered she had taken it off and sat it on the table in the parlor. "Shit!"**

**"Jos!" Reese yelled into the phone as he sprinted from the block over. He was very familiar with the sound a bullet makes when it strikes a hard surface. When he didn't get an answer he ended their call and tapped on his ear piece. "Finch,"**

**"I already know Mr. Reese both Taylor and Carter's numbers just came up, I was just calling you." Finch spoke out. "What do you need?"**

**"Call the cops it sounded like gunfire at Carter's," Reese said as he reached for the holster in his back and pulled his gun readying to do whatever it took to protect his family. He decided to cut through the alleyway and approach the house from the back, figuring the shooters wouldn't want to take the time to scale the high privacy fence Carter had up, and chance being trapped.**

**"I'll do better than that," Finch said as he pulled up the local emergency dispatch screen. "All units, all units there have been reports of multiple gun shots at 3001 E 5th Street, all available units report to 3001 E 5th Street." Finch spoke out as he frantically typed in the address and sent it out to all the patrol cars in the vicinity. He then pulled up the traffic light and camera controls with the intent to set a clear path of the police. As he watched the different screen he noticed that there seemed to be something occurring that blocked all ways. "Mr. Reese we have a problem it seems that every way to get to Carter's has been blocked by different accidents, coincidence?"**

**"No, someone wanted to make sure that they didn't get interrupted before they could finish the job. What's the closest patrol car's eta?"**

**"Rough guess 30 minutes, and that's once they've cleared the road of the beer truck that's spilled its content and all the looters."**

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**"Mom," Taylor's frightened voice called out to Carter as she contemplated how she was going to get to her gun just as several more bullets flew into the kitchen.**

**"Just stay down Taylor, stay down baby." She instructed as she began to crawl to the corner of the counter to peer around it and see how far the table in the parlor was from her position.**

**"Under the counter mom," Taylor called out to her again but Carter wasn't too focused on what he was saying. "There's a gun, under the countertop, right there on the corner, look up." Carter did as he instructed and there was in fact a gun taped just under the countertop and a full clip taped right beside it. "There's another one behind the bottom grate of the dishwasher too." Carter didn't have time to question how the guns got there or how her teenaged son knew they were there, besides she already knew the answer to both questions was 'John', and she swore in that moment she'd never fuss at him about hiding guns in her house, but she was surely going to thank him, if she survived. Another round of bullets sliced through the air and Carter realized that she could only hear them when they struck the different surfaces in the house. She figured whoever was shooting had silencers on their guns probably so they wouldn't raise suspicion with the neighbors who might call the police. So these guys whoever they were, were professionals. It got quiet for a moment and Carter assumed the shooters were probably reloading and she planned to take the opportunity to move her and Taylor more into the center of the house, where there were more walls the bullets had to travel through. She moved the crawl around to where Taylor was on the other side of the counter but was stopped by the sharp pain that stabbed her in the stomach.**

**"Oh No!" Carter gasped out in a panic.**

**"Mom, are you ok, were you shot!?" Taylor's panicked voice called out to her as he swiftly crawled around the back side of the counter and moved up behind her.**

**"No baby I'm not hit, I'm not hit." She answered and then groaned out as another intense pain hit her womb. She knew that she hadn't been hit by any stray bullets but was instead going into labor. Tears filled her eyes as they settled on to Taylor's fright filled eyes. "But I think your baby sister is about to make an appearance." Taylor's eyes widened even more and he looked down at his mother's belly.**

**"What do we do?" Taylor asked but it wasn't his mother's voice who answered him.**

**"Stay down," Reese spoke out as he appeared from around the corner, crouched low to the floor with his gun aimed.**

**"John, oh thank you God," Carter cried out as her tears finally fell free from her eyes.**

**"Are you both alright?" Reese asked as he brushed his free hand over Taylor's head and briefly looked him over before he settled his hand and eyes onto Carter. "Were you hit?"**

**"No, we're ok, well...except mom," Taylor replied and Reese's eyes honed in onto Carter's face and could see her face was contorted in pain. "She's having the baby." Taylor announced and Reese threw a wide-eyed look from Carter, to Taylor, and then back down at Carter and if she hadn't been in so much pain she would have laughed at the comical panicked look on Reese's face. "What do we do?" Taylor asked again.**

**"Hey," Reese spoke softly as he reached out his free hand and caressed Carter's face. "Do you still have that bag of goodies I gave you a while back?" Carter knew he was referring to the bag of arsenal he had given her when she protect the mob leaders from Elias. She nodded her head as she bit her bottom lip and grunted through an intense contraction. Reese instinctively grasped her hand to help support her through it. When the contraction eased up so did her grip on his hand.**

**"In the back of our bedroom closet," She huffed out as another contraction hit, Reese realized that they were just seconds apart and Vivian would be showing up very soon. He felt conflicted he knew that danger still lurked outside but he also knew that Carter needed help delivering their daughter. Carter saw the conflict in his eyes and she squeezed his hand to get his attention.**

**"Protect your pack John, and make sure that 'this' particular threat never comes back," She said and he knew what she was consenting to, and it made things easier on his conscience, because he had already decided he was going to kill everyone involved. Now he didn't have to worry about facing her disapproval.**

**"Here," He snatched the taped gun from under the countertop and then the clip and loaded the gun, "Do you think you'll be able to aim and shoot through the pain if you have to?" John asked Carter as he placed the gun in her hand.**

**"I'll put a bullet right between their eyes if they step foot in this house," Carter confirmed as she gripped the gun. Reese threw her a smile and then focused on Taylor.**

**"Hey," He spoke to Taylor as he gripped the back of the young boy's head. "You keep your head down and stay behind your mother, you understand?"**

**"Yes but I can help too, just give me a gun."**

**"No!" Both Reese and Carter spoke out.**

**"Son, shooting those paper targets when we go to the range is a lot different than shooting a human being. The best thing you can do right now is stay down and out of the line of fire will you please do that for me?"**

**"Yeah," Taylor said with a nod and Reese threw him a warm smile and a nod just as the bullets started to riddle the house again.**

**"I'll be right back," Reese promised and disappeared back around the corner and bounded for the stairs. After a few minutes of rapid gunfire coming into the house, the shots began to come sporadically and then stopped altogether. A couple more minutes passed and the sound of footsteps echo through the now quiet house, Carter aimed the gun at the entryway to the kitchen. "It's just me Jos," Reese was sure to call out before he stuck his head around the corner, because he knew firsthand how good a shot she was. She dropped the hand holding the gun and finally let her head rest back against Taylor who had positioned himself behind her to support her back, so she could aim better. "Hey," Reese spoke directly to Carter as he grasped the gun from her hand and secured it against his back by tucking it in his pants. "How are you doing momma?" He asked.**

**"Are we safe," She panted out as the sweat beaded across her brow and dampened her hair. "Did you…"**

**"I did what I had to do to protect my family," Reese answered as he looked at both Carter and Taylor. "There were about a dozen or so of them and only one left limping."**

**"What? I told you to make sure they would never come back," Carter grunted out as she frowned up at him.**

**"Don't worry I'll find him, I needed him to get away so he can lead me to who set this all up. I've already made arrangements with Finch to get you and Taylor someplace safe in the meantime, but right now we have other pressing matters don't we?" Reese asked with a nervous smile and Carter vigorously nodded her head.**

**"We need to get these pants off 'cause I really need to push," Carter stated and Reese reached up and grasped the knife off of the counter top. "Be careful I think her head's already crowning." Reese nodded as he swallowed the lump in his throat and then with a steady hand cut the fabric just at Carter's knees, and when he had a large enough hole he put down the knife and used brute force to tear the pants with his hands. Reese then picked up the knife again and carefully cut at the waist band of Carter's panties and then pulled them away. He was greeted with a soft patch of black curls atop a tiny head, Carter had been correct Vivian was about to make her entrance into the world. Reese couldn't resist reaching out and letting his finger brush against the soft curls on his daughter's head. It was Carter's scream that snapped him out of his reverie. "I need to push, now!" She cried out.**

**"Ok, I so don't want to see this," Taylor announced and swiftly closed his eyes while still supporting his mother's back.**

**"Ok baby, ok, just a second," Reese moved swiftly and yanked up the towel that Carter kept looped over the oven door handle. He moved back to Carter and draped the towel across her chest. He then removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. "Alright Jos, push," He instructed and Carter grasped her hands against both her knees and bore down.**

**"UUUHHHAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Carter screamed as she pushed and in seconds she was rewarded with the small cries of her child. Carter let her exhausted body collapse against her son, who was now staring at his baby sister with a smile. Carter too smiled as she watched the man before her who gently cradled their daughter in his arms and stared at her in awe. "Ten fingers, ten toes?" She asked jokingly and giggled a bit when Reese actually appeared to be counting. After looking the baby over once more Reese finally leaned over and laid her gently upon her mother's chest, being careful of the umbilical cord which was still attached. Carter immediately enveloped her baby close to her and gazed at her with loving eyes. "God she's so beautiful."**

**"Hey Vivian Reese Carter, I'm your big brother." Taylor spoke out as he brushed his finger against the baby's tiny clinched fist. Reese's chest tightened and his heart swelled with emotions he never thought he'd ever feel as he stared at the three most important people in his universe; his family.**

**"Mr. Reese," Finch's voice filled Reese's ear.**

**"Yeah Finch," Reese replied but never took his eyes off of his family.**

**"Is everyone ok?"**

**"Yeah," Reese said around a goofy smile. "Jos, Taylor, and Vivian are all fine." It was then that Finch heard the baby's cries.**

**"Good and congratulations Mr. Reese. I know the last thing you probably want to do right now is leave them but there are a dozen cops and a couple of ambulances almost at your door. And since I'm sure you've probably littered the area with bodies you might want to be gone when they get there." True to Finch's words the sounds of sirens filled the house.**

**"You need to go," Carter said as she locked eyes with Reese. "Baby I know you don't want to but you have to. You said Finch had a safe place for us, right?"**

**"She is correct. I have secured a spacious 4 bedroom furnished apartment in a high security building. I will escort them there myself, they will be safe I promise you." Finch stated.**

**"You still have unfinished business to take care of anyway, remember?" Carter reminded him, knowing that revenge would be the right motivation to get Reese to leave them and the impending danger that was fast approaching. Reese gave a curt nod as he moved in and captured Carter's lips in a sensual kiss. He pulled back and gazed at her lovingly.**

**"Thank you for giving me a family and a home," He said and she could only smile in reply as tears reformed in her eyes. Reese then leaned down and kissed the head of his now sleeping daughter and then placed a swift kiss upon Taylor's forehead before the teenager could protest. Reese then placed a hand on Taylor's shoulder and stared at the boy with pride. "You did real good tonight Taylor and I am so proud of you son." Taylor smiled broadly and gave a nod. Reese hesitated another moment.**

**"Go," Carter said and Reese stood and quickly made his way out the back, the same way he had come in. He had scaled the fence just as the first three patrol cars pulled up in the front.**

**"Finch," Reese called out as he made his way from the back alley two blocks from Carter's.**

**"I'm here Mr. Reese."**

**I left one guy standing, I hurt him enough that he'll need medical attention but in case he didn't I also planted a tracker in him, find him, and then send me his location. These guys were just thugs, they were organized but definitely thugs, which means there was a bigger player behind this and I want him."**


	4. Chapter 4

**Somewhere down by the docks**

* * *

**The first thing that registered in the dark recesses of the man's mind was a dull ache in his leg that intensified as he got closer and closer to consciousness. The next thing that registered was the fact that he couldn't move his arms or legs. A panic quickly filled him and made him snap his eyes open. The last thing he had remembered was waiting in a room at the hospital to be treated for the bullet wound in his thigh. His eyes danced around the familiar surroundings of the warehouse before they settled onto another man in a dark suit, who was casually seated just to his right. The dark suit man looked to be relaxed with his legs crossed and his hands, one of which held a gun, rested in his lap. Beside the dark suit man was something else familiar, a table with several tools on top of it. He realized that he was bound up by shackles and that he was naked and gagged. He struggled against the bindings but he knew it was all futile since he himself had secured these very shackles from the overhead beams.**

**"I really should thank you I mean you really did make this all very easy for me. A quiet, sound proof room with shackles and so many fun toys for us to play with," The dark suit man spoke as he picked up a hand saw and clicked it on. The loud buzzing noise of the saw made the bound man flinch as he dangled helplessly from the. "Tonight you shot up a home with a woman and her children inside…'my' home with 'my' woman and 'my' children inside." The dark suit man clarified as he threw out a menacing look at the shackled man. The dark suit man then closed his eyes which were red with his rage, and took a deep calming breath before he stared up at the frightened shackled man again. "But I know that you're just a small time player in this, a foot soldier just following orders." The dark suit man continued with a smile as he then stood and picked up what looked to be a scalpel with an elongated blade from the table. "What I need to know from you is who ordered the hit on my family." He asked as he moved to stand before the shackled man. The man in the suit reached out the scalpel and traced the sharp tip of its blade across the chest of the bound man. The shackled man stared down at his chest and his eyes locked onto the trail of blood that followed the trek of the blade, and he whimpered pathetically. The shackled man frantically began to mumble around his gag as tears fell from is eyes. The man in the suit acted as if he didn't notice that the shackled man was trying to tell him something, and moved the tip of the blade to the left side of the bound man's chest near the lower part of his rib cage, he then gave it a swift upward thrust and the blade slid through the bones of the ribcage with a crunching sound. The shackled man cried out a loud moan around his gag.**

**"Sorry were you trying to tell me something?" The dark suit man asked and then reached up and removed the gag. The shackled man gasped and moaned in pain as he struggled to catch his breath. "You were saying?" The dark suit man said as he moved the handle of the blade again.**

**"Ahhhh…FUCK! Elias…man it was Elias who ordered the hit. He said that that cop bitch….Ahhhh!" The bound man yelp out as the suited man twisted the blade a bit.**

**"That's the mother of my children show some respect." The suited man suggested in a calm manner.**

**"Sorry, sorry," The shackled man cried as tears and snot seeped down his face. "Your lady was snooping around the docks and we got her plates and had someone check on her. We found out who she was, that she was a cop. We got all her info and we called Elias and told him about her. Elias said he knew who she was and that she was a loose end and told us to get rid of her. Look man I was just doing what I was told, if I didn't Elias would have killed me. I'm sorry about your family man, hey I've got a wife and kids too." The bound man gasped out before he coughed up blood.**

**"Well Reggie your family have my condolences because in about," The dark suit man paused long enough to look at the time on his watch. "15 to 20 minutes you'll be dead. You're going to bleed out from your now ruptured spleen. Normally it's a survivable injury, if you have emergency surgery in time. Thank you for your information." The man in the suit said and then turned and headed for the exit.**

**"Wait…Wait, you can't just leave me here to die, man!" Reggie cried out as the man in the suit kept walking, exiting the building without looking back.**

**"Finch"**

**"Yes Mr. Reese," Finch had been awaiting Reese's call all night. Finch had joined Carter and her children at the hospital and after a few hours where the doctors ran test to make sure both mother and daughter were ok, they were released and Finch took them from the hospital to their new secure home. Then Finch headed back to headquarters and waited for Reese's call.**

**"How's my family?" Reese asked the question most prevalent in his mind.**

**"They are all tucked safely away in their new apartment awaiting your arrival. I took the liberty of hiring a personal nurse to be there with Det. Carter, to look after Vivian. Carter really looked so exhausted." Finch stated and Reese closed his eyes and silently cursed the fact that he couldn't be there with her.**

**"Thank you, now I need another favor. I need you to doctor me some new credentials, I'm looking for a new job." Reese said and Finch arched his brows at the news.**

**"A new job, has the job I've provided you been dissatisfactory in some way John?" Finch asked genuinely. He had considered that Reese would leave their work once his child was born to settle more into the role of family man. "If you need a pay raise I'd gladly…"**

**"No Finch I'm happy with the job I perform for you and as for my weekly salary, well you'll never hear me complaining about those extra zeros. No, this new job will only be temporary, I need to get inside Riker's as a guard, and I'll also need a way out."**

**"Riker's…as in Riker's Island, the prison?" Finch asked as his brow bunched in confusion.**

**"Yes can you get me a way on and off the island tonight?" Reese questioned. "Have me replace a current guard, just for tonight?"**

**"I'll see what I can do, give me an hour to work on it," Finch replied. "I take it you found a lead to who was behind the attack on Det. Carter."**

**"Yeah, apparently Jos went snooping around the docks earlier and caught the attention of the wrong guys, guys who work for Elias." Reese's words caused Finch's heart rate to increase. The thought that he had somehow played a role in what had happened sickened Finch and the thought of Reese finding out his role terrified him.**

**"So Elias put the hit out," Finch asked even though he was somewhat lost in his current turmoil.**

**"Yeah and now I'm going to do what I should have done when we first met, I'm going to kill him."**

* * *

**Later that night**

* * *

**"Oh I'm sorry," Finch apologized as he turned away slightly. "Nurse Hawthorne didn't tell me you were nursing the baby."**

**"It's alright Harold," Carter spoke softly as she cradled her daughter to her bosom. "Please come in." She coaxed and Finch slowly turned back to face her. He hesitated by the door for a moment until he realized that he couldn't actually see anything except a head full of dark curls nestled against Carter's chest.**

**"How is she?" He asked as he stared at the tiny head with a crooked smile.**

**"Hungry, she's definitely got her daddy's appetite." Carter replied as she returned his smile.**

**"And Taylor, I didn't see him when I came in?" Finch questioned further.**

**"He was exhausted he already went to bed. He was fighting sleep trying to wait up for John but I told him that John would probably be very late. Have you heard from him?" Carter asked as she bunched her brow in concern. Finch bowed and nodded his head.**

**"Yes, we've spoken briefly throughout the night. He was able to track down the last man standing from the shoot-out at your home."**

**"Oh, is that where he is right now?"**

**"No, that thug was just a means to an end. John knew that there was a bigger player involved in all of this and…Det…Joss I am so very sorry I got you involved in our cases. John was right and I should have never asked you to look into the Ruiz files." Finch began apologizing.**

**"Are you saying that Ruiz was the one that put a hit on me?" Carter questioned.**

**"No, it was Elias. Those were actually his building down by the docks, he was just using Ruiz as a front man. If I hadn't asked you to look into Ruiz's dealings none of this would have happened."**

**"Hey you asked me to look into some files, which I did right at my desk. I was the one who felt she had to prove something. I had no business going down to those docks. So please don't blame yourself because I don't."**

**"Thank you but I doubt our Mr. Reese will have those same feelings of forgiveness."**

**"You're right he won't and that's because he's never going to know that you asked me to look into Ruiz."**

**"I don't think I can keep it from him." Finch stated.**

**"Yes you can and you will, I don't want you ruining your friendship with John over something I did to spite him. This was entirely my fault so I want you to promise me that you'll never tell John…please Harold."**

**"I suppose I owe you that much." Finch conceded.**

**"Thank you. So where is John right now?"**

**"I don't think you'd really want to know." Finch replied.**

**"I told John to do whatever he had to, to make sure whoever did this, attacked my home and endangered my children paid, and I meant it."**

**"Yes he mentioned that, but that's not why I say you don't want to know. It's the method that he chosen to get the job done that might cause you concern." Finch said with a heavy sigh.**

**"What do you mean?" Carter asked as she unlatched Vivian from her breast, and made sure to not expose herself to Finch. She then maneuvered the baby up to her shoulders and began to burp her.**

**"As I said before John discovered that Elias was behind the hit on you, well have you forgotten Detective where Elias is?" Finch asked and Carter's eyes widened as realization dawned on her.**

**"Are you telling me that John is going to Riker's Island to kill Elias?" She asked and Finch could only avert his eyes to the floor in reply. "That's a suicide mission, why didn't you stop him?" Carter asked as tears sprang to her eyes.**

**"There was no stopping him, and I fear that if I hadn't helped him he would have done something irrational that would have surely gotten him caught. I was able to get him on the island posing as a guard, and when the shift is over he'll leave the same way."**

**"Assuming that he's not caught in the act of murdering Elias," Carter added.**

**"Yes, assuming that."**

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

**Reese had sat at the guard's station for well over two hours which gave him enough time to gauge the system of when the guards did their checks and when the cameras did their interval scans of the main corridors to each cell block. He found the block that Elias was on and wasn't surprised that the entire block was pretty much inhabited by Elias and just a handful of his personal men. It seemed that even in prison the man had pull. Reese only smiled at this knowledge because he knew that Elias secluded himself this way as a means to remain safe, but tonight it would help bring about his downfall. When Reese was finally left alone at the station he set up the looping device that he had brought with him. He checked the camera that watched the block that housed Elias. Reese watched the monitor and a loop of an earlier scene displayed just as the other guard returned to the station.**

**"Hey Joe you mind if I take a break?" Reese asked as he held up a pack of smokes to the older, bald guard.**

**"Sure man," Joe answered with a kind smile. "Just don't get caught, the warden only wants us out during our scheduled breaks and the man's got moles everywhere. Mitchell and Fitzgerald will be coming back this way on their rounds in about 20 minutes, just make sure you're back before then."**

**"Oh I'll only be gone 10 minutes tops." Reese announced as he stood and made his way from the station. Once he rounded the corner he watched the camera move away from him, he then set his watch and quickly moved. When he got to Elias's block he stealthily approached and pressed the knife to the throat of Elias's lookout guard from behind before the man could register what was happening. "You can play the hero and die or you can just walk away and I promise you you'll never have to be Elias's guard dog again."**

**"If you can kill Elias you'd be doing a lot of people in here a favor, including me, but the question is can you kill him? I have seen so many try and fail." The captured man stated.**

**"All you have to do is walk away." Reese said again.**

**"If you don't succeed Elias will blame me for letting you in, then I'm a dead man."**

**"I guess you do have a point," Reese said as he quickly struck a blow to the back on the man's head with his elbow. He didn't have time for further persuasion or to administer a choke hold that would render the man unconscious. Reese settled the unconscious man's body back at his post against the wall and then moved to Elias's open cell. Reese swiftly shot the other guard just inside the cell door with a stun gun knocking him out cold, which garnered Elias's attention and he quickly sat up from the bunk he had been lying in. If Elias was surprised he didn't let on.**

**"John, so nice of you to visit me, if I had known you were coming I would have cleaned up." Elias spoke calmly as John moved to stand over him.**

**"This isn't a social visit." Reese said as he checked the time on his watch.**

**"No I suppose it isn't," Elias replied as he removed his glasses and then folded their arms and sat then on the table beside his bunk. "I want you to know that Det. Carter wasn't anything personal for me, she was snooping..." Elias's words ended as a loud crunching noise filled the cell. Reese stood for a moment and stared down at the little weasel of a man with the twisted neck.**

**"It was personal for me." He said and then exited the cell. He made it back to the guard's station in less than ten minutes and he had made sure he was in sync with the turning camera as so he wasn't caught on camera.**

**"Just in time," Joe greeted him as he stood from his seat, just as Reese took his. "I gotta go to the John." Joe announced just before disappearing around the corner, heading to the staff bathroom. Reese quickly disengaged the hidden looping device and then made sure the camera was showing real-time video once more. Reese then settled back comfortably in his chair and sipped at the still warm coffee he had left on the desk, and waited to finish his shift.**

* * *

**The dull ache between her legs told Carter that the meds that Nurse Hawthorne had given her for pain had nearly worn off. The pain was present enough to make her open her eyes to buzz for the Nurse for more meds, but her movement stilled when her eyes fell upon the man who stood across the room, cradling her newborn daughter while staring out the slightly open curtains. She watched in awe as the sun shone in on the man and child. She continued to watch silently as the man repeatedly kissed the baby's head and whispered to her. Although Carter couldn't make out what he was saying it still brought a smile to her lips.**

**"Hey you," She called out softly just as he pressed another kiss to the baby's head. He locked his eyes onto the woman lying in bed.**

**"Hello beautiful," Reese replied as he moved back to the bed.**

**"Beautiful, huh…I don't know about all that." Carter said with a giggle as she gingerly sat up and against the pillows.**

**"You're right you're not beautiful," Reese recanted and Carter frowned up at that man and self-consciously raked her fingers through her thick tresses in an attempt to tame her bed hair.**

**"Gee thanks," She spoke, clearly irritated by his words.**

**"You're absolutely breathtaking." He continued just as he reached the bed and settled on the edge before he leaned in and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. When he pulled back Carter's face held a dreamy smile as she looked at him. "Look what you did," He nodded down at the baby with a proud smile. He then moved his sleeping daughter from his shoulder down to the security of his strong arms. "She's gorgeous Jos."**

**"Yeah she is," Carter agreed as they both gazed lovingly at their child. "But hey I can't take all the credit, half of that is all you baby." Reese only nodded his head in agreement as he used his free hand to tenderly stroke Vivian's soft curls. "I take it you took care of business." She broached a subject she knew he wouldn't want to talk about but she felt she had to know.**

**"Elias is dead, I'm here and I'm never leaving." He said and Carter knew that the last part was a promise he was making to her. "I love you and I love our family."**

**"We love you too," Carter stated as a single tear slipped down her face. At that moment the bedroom door opened.**

**"Mom is John back," The teenager's word ended when his eyes fell upon the man he was just asking about. "Hey John," Taylor spoke as he entered the room.**

**"Hey Taylor," Reese greeted.**

**"Boy you know better than to just walk into someone's bedroom room without knocking." Carter wiped away her tears and chastised as she glared at her son, even though a smile played on her lips.**

**"Sorry I figured if John was in here you guys wouldn't be doing anything 'nasty' with Vivian in here too," Taylor defended as he moved to stand just over Reese's shoulder to stare down at his sleeping sister. Carter decided she was too drained to ask what he meant by 'nasty' and so she let the discussion go as Reese quietly chuckled.**

**"You wanna hold your sister?" Reese asked and a smile quickly shot to Taylor's face.**

**"Yeah, can I?" He let his eyes fall to his mother who simply smiled and nodded her head.**

**"Yeah but sit here," Carter patted the empty space right beside her on the bed," Taylor did as told and then reached out for his sister. Reese leaned over and placed the baby into Taylor's awaiting arms. "Just watch her head," Carter instructed.**

**"Just like that," Reese said as he moved Taylor's arm a bit. "You're a natural." He then settled back into his spot on the bed.**

**"Man she's tiny, was I this little?" Taylor asked his mother but never took his eyes off of his baby sister.**

**"You were actually two pounds smaller and an inch shorter." Carter answered with a smile. "Now look at you, you're practically a man." She added with a sad frown as she reached out and stroked his hair.**

**"A very brave and remarkable young man," Reese said. "I really am proud of you Taylor the way you looked after your mom and baby sister earlier. You stayed calm and did what needed to be done."**

**"Well I have a dad who's kind of badass, and he taught me some things." Taylor replied with a smile one that Reese matched. "It's ok that I think of you like a dad…right?" Taylor asked nervously.**

**"That's more than ok and only fair since I think of you as my son." Reese answered and Taylor's smile widened at his words as did Carter's.**

**"OK this is a beautiful Hallmark moment and all, but will someone please get Nurse Hawthorne to bring me some more Codeine?" Carter interjected with a slight groan.**

**"Did someone say Codeine?" Finch spoke out from the open door as he held up the bottle of pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other.**

**"Oh bless you." Carter said with a sigh as Finch made his way to the side of the bed opposite to where Taylor and Reese sat, and handed Carter her meds.**

**"I dismissed Nurse Hawthorne for the day but she'll return tomorrow. I figured since both John and Taylor are here with you now you'd have all the help you'll need, and you can have some family time together." Finch stated and then moved to exit again.**

**"And where are you going?" Carter asked as she popped two pills into her mouth and took a couple of gulps of the water.**

**"Yeah Finch you're a part of this family too you know," Reese said and his words stunned Finch and made him turn back to face them. He looked from Reese to Carter who simply nodded her head and then to Taylor who was carefully standing from the bed with Vivian still cradled in his arms.**

**"Yeah Uncle Finch and you're first up on diaper duty, Viv just dropped a major one." Taylor said with a slight frown as he handed Vivian off to Finch and then moved to the exit. "I'll start breakfast, bacon and eggs good for everybody?" He asked as he paused at the door.**

**"Sounds good to me," Reese responded first.**

**"Just toast and orange juice for me please," Carter tossed out as she settled back against the pillows and closed her eyes.**

**"Uncle Finch?" Taylor called out.**

**"Uhm…yes," Finch turned to regard the teenager while he gently rocked the sleeping baby in his arms.**

**"Bacon and eggs," Taylor repeated.**

**"Oh…uhm, yes…thank you Taylor." With a nod and a smile Taylor disappeared around the corner. "I'll just change Vivian then." Finch said as he moved to the adjoining door that opened into the fully decorated nursery.**

**"You don't have to do that Finch, I need the practice." Reese offered as he stood from the bed.**

**"That's quite all right Mr. Reese, besides this is the first time I've gotten to hold her since she was born." Finch announced with a smile before walking through to the nursery. Reese smiled after his friend for a moment before he turned to focus back on his lady love, which he found sleeping soundly. He leaned down and kissed her temple and whispered 'I love you' into her ear and then moved back to the open window. As he stared out onto the dawn of a new day he gave thanks to God. He once was so lost in his own despair that he didn't think there was any hope left for him, but then Finch came into his life and brought him friendship and a purpose. Then Carter came and brought him love and a family. Reese didn't feel that he truly deserve all these blessings bestowed upon him but he was still grateful for them, and would always cherish them.**

**Fin**

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed the end of book 4. Sorry it took so long to finish it and I sincerely hope it was all cohesive and a good ending. Thanks as always for the reviews. Shall I start on Book 5?**


End file.
